The Sandringham Commission

The original Sandringham commission stands as one of the most remarkable in jewellery history. King Edward VII's birthday gift to Queen Alexandra required Fabergé's workshops to study and reproduce the actual animals living on the royal estate. Craftsmen travelled to Norfolk to sketch and model from life, ensuring each piece captured not just species characteristics but individual personality.

The Complete Menagerie

The Sandringham collection eventually included an astonishing variety: Shire horses and thoroughbreds, prize bulls and dairy cows, pedigreed dogs from terriers to wolfhounds, barnyard fowl including specific chickens known by name, pigs celebrated for their breeding excellence, and even the estate's working animals like the donkeys used for children's rides.

In subsequent years, additions to the collection reflected new arrivals at Sandringham, deaths of beloved animals commemorated in stone, and gifts from family members who understood the Queen's passion. The collection became a three-dimensional autobiography of life at the royal estate.

Technical Achievement

Each Sandringham animal demonstrated Fabergé's supreme technical mastery. Hardstones were selected for their natural colouring: agate for tortoiseshell cats, obsidian for black Labradors, rhodonite for pink pigs, and rock crystal for white doves. The creatures' eyes gleamed with cabochon rubies or emeralds, whilst gold or silver details added collars, bridles, or other accessories.

Popular Animal Subjects in Society

The royal enthusiasm for animal jewellery sparked widespread adoption amongst the Edwardian elite. The swallow and dove emerged as the most popular bird motifs, their symbolism of homecoming and peace resonating with contemporary sensibilities. These pieces ranged from naturalistic studies to stylised interpretations, always maintaining the charm that characterised Edwardian animal jewellery.

Domestic Companions

Dogs dominated domestic animal jewellery, reflecting the Edwardian devotion to canine companions. Specific breeds were meticulously portrayed: King Charles spaniels with flowing ears in carved chalcedony, terriers alert and ready in nephrite jade, bulldogs sturdy and determined in jasper, and elegant greyhounds stretched in full run in rock crystal. Many pieces were portraits of specific pets, commissioned by devoted owners.

Cats and Their Mystery

Feline subjects carried particular appeal, their independent nature and elegant form perfectly suited to jewelled interpretation. Black cats in jet or obsidian promised good luck, whilst Persian cats in white chalcedony displayed aristocratic bearing. Some pieces featured cats in humorous situations: playing with golden balls of yarn, stalking jewelled mice, or curled in sleeping positions that revealed Fabergé's observational genius.

Exotic and Wild Creatures

Beyond domestic animals, Edwardian jewellers created an international zoo in miniature. These pieces reflected the era's fascination with empire and exploration, bringing exotic creatures to drawing rooms in precious form.

African Safari

Big game hunting's popularity inspired jewelled interpretations of African wildlife: elephants with ivory tusks and wise eyes, lions with golden manes and fierce expressions, leopards spotted with diamonds and onyx, and rhinoceroses armoured in grey agate. These pieces often commemorated specific hunting expeditions, serving as permanent trophies of adventure.

Birds of Paradise

Tropical birds provided spectacular subjects for jewelled interpretation. Parrots in malachite and coral, peacocks with enamel tail feathers, hummingbirds suspended in flight, and flamingos balanced on one golden leg demonstrated jewellers' ability to capture exotic beauty. The colours achievable through hardstone selection and enamel work made these pieces particularly striking.

Imperial Connections

The Russian imperial family's collection included bears (Russia's national symbol), eagles representing imperial power, and swans associated with ballet and beauty. These pieces often incorporated imperial cyphers or crowns, marking them as diplomatic gifts or imperial commissions.

Miniature Farm Life

The barnyard animals that featured in Queen Alexandra's collection inspired a broader fashion for farm-themed jewellery. These pieces celebrated agricultural life with the same refinement applied to grander subjects.

Poultry Perfection

Chickens, roosters, ducks, and geese appeared in remarkable variety. Cockerels strutted with carnelian combs and tail feathers of gold, hens nested with pearl eggs beneath them, and ducklings followed mothers in orderly rows. These pieces often displayed humorous touches: chickens pecking at seed pearl grain, roosters crowing with open beaks, or geese with ruffled feathers suggesting indignation.

Porcine Portraits

Pigs held particular charm for Edwardian collectors, their rotund forms and cheerful expressions perfectly suited to hardstone carving. Prize boars appeared in rhodonite or rose quartz, sows with litters of tiny piglets in various stones, and individual portraits of famous breeding stock. The pigs often wore golden medals or ribbons, commemorating agricultural show victories.

Materials and Techniques

Fabergé's animal figures employed the full range of Russian hardstone carving traditions, combined with Western European goldsmithing techniques. The selection of stones was crucial, with natural colours and patterns suggesting fur, feathers, or skin.

Hardstone Selection

The Fabergé workshops maintained extensive inventories of hardstones from the Urals, Siberia, and beyond: nephrite in various greens for frogs and lizards, purpurine for rich purple creatures, bowenite for pale green subjects, labradorite with its iridescent play of colour, obsidian for deep black animals, and aventurine quartz sparkling with metallic inclusions.

Each stone was selected not just for colour but for pattern and texture. Agate's banding might suggest a tabby cat's stripes, whilst jasper's mottling could indicate a bird's speckled breast.

Mixed Media Mastery

Animals often incorporated multiple materials for realistic effect: gold or silver for claws, collars, and bridles; diamonds for dewdrops or frost; cabochon gems for eyes, typically rubies or emeralds; enamel for specific colour accents; and seed pearls for eggs or teeth.

Surface Treatments

Various surface treatments created textural variety: high polish for wet noses or eyes, matte finishing for fur effects, carved details for feathers or scales, and gold mounting designed to be nearly invisible, allowing the animal to appear self-supporting.

The Workshops and Craftsmen

While Fabergé's name dominates Edwardian animal jewellery, numerous workshops contributed to this tradition. Understanding different makers helps identify and value pieces correctly.

The Fabergé Operation

Fabergé employed specialists for different aspects of animal creation: Hardstone carvers like Derbyshev and Kremiev, goldsmiths for metal elements, designers who created original models, and enamellers for colour work. Each piece bore workshop marks indicating its creators.

Contemporary Competitors

Other Russian firms created animal figures, including Bolin, court jeweller before Fabergé; Ovchinnikov, known for exceptional enamel work; Denisov-Uralsky, specialising in Ural stones; and numerous smaller workshops producing for the domestic market.

European Interpretations

European jewellers created their own animal menageries: Cartier's Panthers and exotic creatures, Boucheron's naturalistic studies, British firms producing sporting dogs and horses, and Austrian workshops creating whimsical creatures. These pieces, whilst inspired by the Russian tradition, displayed distinctive national characteristics.

Symbolism and Sentiment

Edwardian animal jewellery carried complex layers of meaning beyond decorative appeal. Each creature brought its own symbolism, whilst personal associations added individual significance.

Traditional Symbolism

Animals carried established symbolic meanings: dogs for loyalty and friendship, cats for independence and mystery, elephants for wisdom and memory, owls for knowledge and watchfulness, swans for grace and transformation, and dolphins for intelligence and playfulness.

Personal Commemoration

Many pieces commemorated specific animals, becoming precious memorials to beloved companions. These might include: portrait accuracy capturing individual markings, inscriptions with names and dates, incorporation of actual fur or feathers, and miniature accessories reproducing real collars or medals.

Humour and Whimsy

Edwardian animal jewellery often displayed gentle humour: mice stealing cheese, cats chasing tails, dogs begging with raised paws, and penguins in formal "evening dress." This lighthearted approach reflected the Edwardian ability to combine luxury with laughter.

Collecting and Identification

Collecting Edwardian animal jewellery requires understanding of materials, techniques, and makers' characteristics. Authentication can be challenging, as many pieces were unmarked or have had marks removed.

Hallmarks and Signatures

Genuine Fabergé pieces typically bear: workmaster's initials in Cyrillic, Fabergé name in Cyrillic or Roman letters, Russian hallmarks indicating metal purity, and inventory numbers scratched into bases. However, many genuine pieces lack complete marking, whilst forgeries may bear false marks.

Quality Indicators

Authentic Edwardian animal jewellery displays: exceptional stone quality without flaws or repairs, invisible or minimal mounting allowing stone to dominate, naturalistic proportions and positioning, appropriate wear consistent with age, and original fitted cases when available.

Conservation and Care

These pieces require careful handling: avoiding temperature extremes that might crack stones, protecting from impacts that could chip carving, cleaning only with appropriate methods, storing separately to prevent scratching, and maintaining stable humidity to prevent mounting loosening.

Market and Values

The market for Edwardian animal jewellery remains strong, with Fabergé pieces commanding premium prices. Values depend on multiple factors including maker attribution, quality of execution, rarity of subject, condition and completeness, provenance and documentation, and size and presence.

Investment Potential

Quality animal jewellery has proven excellent investment potential, particularly pieces with: royal or aristocratic provenance, documented Fabergé attribution, unusual or charming subjects, exceptional stone quality, and complete original presentation.